Corporate Laboratories in Universities

NRF encourages public-private R&D partnerships between universities and companies through the establishment of corporate laboratories in our universities.

Industry partners can tap scientific and technological capabilities built up in our universities to develop new products and services, while universities achieve impact by developing cutting edge solutions for problems faced by industry. Research areas are geared towards supporting business growth for companies, generating economic benefits for Singapore, and creating good jobs for Singaporeans.

Corporate laboratories enable faculty, researchers, PhD and Master’s students to work alongside companies on research that has direct relevance for the industry. Students gain industry experience, preparing them for employment in high value-add sectors.

Rolls-Royce@NTU Corporate Laboratory

The S$75 million Rolls-Royce@NTU Corporate Laboratory focuses on three areas of research: electrical power and control systems, manufacturing and repair technologies, and computational engineering. The industry research laboratory is located within the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) campus. Rolls-Royce co-funds the laboratory and provides industry mentorship to NTU researchers participating in the programme.

Read the press release here.
The Corp Lab has successfully completed its first five years of research partnership and has moved into its next phase with a joint investment of $88 million. Research outcomes from the first phase are now being used to help design and develop future power and propulsion systems and improve manufacturing operations in Singapore and in other global sites of Rolls-Royce. In the second phase, the Corp Lab will work on 29 projects that make use of Industry 4.0 technologies – connecting computers, machines and engines, generating valuable data that will enhance design, manufacturing, maintenance, services, and operations.

Keppel-NUS Corporate Laboratory

The S$75 million Keppel-NUS Corporate Laboratory taps the practical expertise of KOMtech (the R&D subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine) as well as faculty, key laboratories and computational facilities of National University of Singapore, to forge a strong partnership for innovation.

Urban Computing and Engineering Corporate Lab @ SMU

This corporate lab supports the $54 million Urban Computing and Engineering Centre of Excellence to address the multitude of challenges highly urbanised cities frequently face. The centre leverages the expertise of A*STAR’s Institute of High Performance Computing and Institute for Infocomm Research, Fujitsu and the Singapore Management University to research on the themes of dynamic mobility management and maritime and port optimisation.

ST Engineering-NTU Corporate Laboratory

The S$53 million ST Engineering-NTU Corporate Laboratory focuses on developing advanced robotics and autonomous systems. The two main research areas are in airport precision and airside technology (such as baggage transfer systems, aerobridges and aircraft tow trucks) and in enhancing intelligence support for crisis management. This partnership will generate new products and services through the development of new technologies, increase employment opportunities for researchers and scientists, and provide greater exposure for students in industrial R&D.

Sembcorp-NUS Corporate Laboratory

The S$60 million Sembcorp-NUS Corporate Laboratory aims to develop new, competitive and sustainable solutions in the areas of energy, water and waste-to-resource. Research activities include solutions to optimise power generation while reducing emissions and waste residue, enhance industrial water and wastewater treatment systems, as well as transform waste into useful and high-value products such as ultra-light composites for modular construction. It will also provide an important platform for NUS students and researchers to gain experience in industrial R&D and promote interaction and exchange of ideas with engineers from Sembcorp.

ST Electronics-SUTD Cyber Security Laboratory

The S$44.3 million ST Electronics-SUTD Cyber Security Laboratory focuses on advancing and translating the frontiers of cybersecurity research and technology, with an emphasis on commercialisation solutions that are relevant to the emerging cybersecurity needs in the market. This collaboration also aims to grow and nurture cybersecurity manpower to support Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative.

SMRT-NTU Smart Urban Rail Corporate Laboratory

The S$60 million SMRT-NTU Smart Urban Rail Corporate Laboratory aims to develop solutions to enhance rail reliability and develop a more resilient urban rail system in Singapore. Two complementary research tracks will lead the development of innovative urban rail solutions. The first track focuses on developing better detection methods and monitoring systems so that potential issues can be addressed quickly and accurately. The second track aims to enhance the reliability of existing rail assets by optimising maintenance and servicing processes, through prediction methodologies and analytic tools.

Delta-NTU Corporate Laboratory for Cyber-Physical Systems

The S$45 million Delta – NTU Corporate Laboratory for Cyber-Physical Systems will work on developing cyber-physical systems, ranging from large infrastructure systems such as water and power distribution to emerging consumer systems such as the Internet-of-Things (IoT), an ever-growing network of physical objects and systems connected to the Internet.

Hear Prof Bertil Andersson, President of the Nanyang Technological University, talk about the close relationship between fundamental science and application-driven research

NUS-Singtel Cyber Security Research and Development Laboratory

The S$42.8 million NUS-Singtel Cyber Security Research and Development Laboratory seeks to create a broad spectrum of research capabilities and novel technologies to address cyber security threats. It has two objectives: first, to develop novel data analytics techniques that allow IT service providers to detect and respond to security attacks as they occur in real time; and second, to come up with new approaches to design and implement IT systems that are "secure by design", and thus able to resist a broad array of attacks.

The S$42.4 million Singtel Cognitive and Artificial Intelligence Lab for Enterprises (SCALE@NTU) aims to develop applications for use in the areas of public safety, smart urban solutions, transportation, healthcare and manufacturing. The partners, through their collective expertise and resources, aim to accelerate innovation in the fields of AI, advanced data analytics, robotics and smart computing.

WIL@NUS Corporate Laboratory

The S$110 million WIL@NUS Corporate Laboratory aims to address the challenges of lifestyle-related diseases and sustainable production of industrial chemicals. Research activities will focus on two key thrusts: firstly, to address major public health issues through the development of healthier foods and ingredients; and secondly, to design cost-effective and sustainable methods of producing chemical compounds using natural sources.

SJ-NTU Corporate Lab

The S$61 million SJ-NTU Corporate Lab aims to develop next-generation sustainable solutions to tackle industrial and complex urban challenges. It will include research to explore underground storage systems, sustainable indoor solutions for buildings, and digital technologies to scale up productivity in the built environment. The SJ-NTU Corporate Lab will translate research outcomes into practical and viable solutions that are focused around three core themes: digitalisation; green and sustainable urban solutions; and future of the industry and productivity.

HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corporate Lab

The S$84 million HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corporate Lab will drive innovation, technology, skills and economic development critical for the advancement of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It will focus on digital manufacturing technologies, specifically in areas of advancing 3D printing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, new materials and applications, cybersecurity and customisation. At launch, the lab will prioritise 15 projects to better understand new materials and applications, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and cybersecurity.

Applied Materials-NUS Advanced Materials Corporate Laboratory

The S$70 million Applied Materials-NUS Advanced Materials Corporate Laboratory aims to accelerate the discovery and commercialisation of new materials for manufacturing next-generation semiconductors. New materials R&D and processing techniques with a focus on deposition and etching have been identified as two key research areas that will help pioneer innovative semiconductor structures and devices.